FF Biscayne is a stakes champion.
Late last year, the Wheeling-based greyhound traveled to Gulf Greyhound Park in Texas for the track’s two-month racing season in January/February. On the final night of racing, FF Biscayne captured the $50,000 Diane Whiteley Sprint Stakes.
Not only did the sprinter roll to a box-to-wire 3 ½-length victory in the stakes final, but FF Biscayne shined throughout the short meet. In eight starts, she had 6 wins – all but one in Grade AA – and 2 seconds.
Owner Joe Fusaro made the trip to La Marque, TX, from Minnesota for the stakes final Feb. 29.
“I have been in the greyhound business as an owner since 2004 and this is my first major stakes win. I am super excited, thrilled and so proud of Biscayne,” Fusaro said. “To be there in person to watch the stakes final made it even more special. She was on her game and dominated the Gulf meet.”
The stakes final, from the rail out, featured: 1—CTW Hard Bargain, 2—Granger Ghost, 3—Hi Noon Ricochet, 4—Cobi’s Stone Fox, 5—Ponda’s Smokey, 6—Slatex Goff, 7—FF Biscayne, 8—KB’s Safari.
At the break, FF Biscayne – just like in the two qualifying round races – rocketed right to the front. At the first turn, she was up by 3 lengths and was never seriously challenged throughout the championship final.
“Biscayne hit the lid and went right to the front – she was out and flying. She’s very tough on the lead and not short in the stretch,” Fusaro said. “I was confident when she broke on top, but you never count things until they happen. There were a lot of capable, outstanding greyhounds in the final.”
Hi Noon Ricochet took runner up honors while CTW Hard Bargain rounded out the trifecta ticket. Completing the order of finish were Granger Ghost, fourth; Slatex Goff, fifth; KB’s Safari, sixth; Ponda’s Smokey, seventh; and Cobi’s Stone Fox, eighth.
FF Biscayne, sent to post as the second favorite to Granger Ghost, paid $5.60 on a $2 win wager. The quiniela returned $46, the exacta $85, trifecta $350 and superfecta $1,682.
The stakes event was open to any age Texas-bred greyhound. It was funded and organized by the Texas Greyhound Association in coordination with Gulf Greyhound Park.
FF Biscayne raced out of the Libby-Watt Kennel at the Gulf and trained by Jake Ungs. At Wheeling, she competed in the Abrahamson Kennel and handled by Tom Engle.
“I can’t say enough about the great job both Jake Ungs did with Biscayne at the Gulf and Tom Engle while she was racing at Wheeling,” Fusaro said. “They deserve a lot of the credit for her success.”
Engle is equally thrilled by FF Biscayne’s stake victory. “I am so proud of Biscayne and very happy for Joe (Fusaro),” Engle said. “I thought she would like it at the Gulf.”
Her six wins at the Gulf were by a combined 25 lengths – a 4-length average margin of victory.
FF Biscayne opened her career at Mardi Gras in Florida in January 2018 – posting 3 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds and 2 fourths in 19 races before moving up to Wheeling in May. She had 6 wins, 3 seconds, 5 thirds and 6 fourths in 29 Wheeling trips in 2018.
The sprinter competed at the Gulf Greyhound Park meet in January/February 2019 – posting 2 wins, 1 second and 1 third in eight starts. Upon returning to Wheeling, FF Biscayne finished the year with 12 wins, 5 seconds, 5 thirds and 4 fourths in 44 races.
“The first time racing at the Gulf and at Wheeling, Biscayne was a good greyhound. The second time at each track, she was tremendous,” Fusaro noted. “She kept getting better and better and is still improving.”
Fusaro mapped the breeding for FF Biscayne, an August 2016 greyhound out of Seldom Told-FF Taffy.
“Biscayne was not a greyhound I purchased … I chose the breeding which makes her stakes victory even sweeter. FF Taffy and her brother, FF Code Red, one of the best greyhounds I have ever owned, were out of Sacred Drive,” Fusaro said. “It’s a Tony and Judy Mills dam bloodline which I like and continue to use. It’s been very successful.”
Next up for FF Biscayne – Southland Park in West Memphis, Ark. “I was torn between sending her to Southland or back to Wheeling, but I wanted to give her a shot at the toughest track in the country,” Fusaro said.